The hope for Shearer

John Armstrong writes:

Shearer will bring change by making the party less hostage to the political correctness that still plagues its image. He is interested in things that work, rather than whether they fit the party’s doctrine. Shearer will not fight old battles merely to make the party feel good about itself.

He will make the party’s various groups – union affiliates, Labour women, Labour youth, Maori, Pasifika, gays and so on – start working for the party rather than feeding off it.

He will promote on merit, not quotas. He intends to transform a seriously flabby political institution into a slick political machine.

It sounds great if he can achieve it. Less politically correct, less doctrinaire, and less identity politics with a focus on merit.